6.8 Western vs 6.5 PRC

[tmcgarrigle]

Curious what everybody's thoughts are between the two. I know there are some heavier bullets coming out of the 6.8 Western. I'm curious how everybody has found accuracy between the two and if there are any big differences between recoil.

 

[MSURunner]

I lean heavily towards the builder, not the cartridge, being the primary source for accuracy. All things equal, most shooters will struggle to shoot the difference in case designs. Reloaders tend to have a bit more say on how easy it is to find accurate loads for particular cartridges, and my experience with the PRC shows it is pretty easy to get to shoot a variety of projectiles. Coupled with good factory ammo (with generally good availability), great brass selection, and the wide variety of 6.5 bullets, I would have to be very, very heavily swayed to choose 6.8 Western over 6.5 PRC.

 

[tmcgarrigle]

I lean heavily towards the builder, not the cartridge, being the primary source for accuracy. All things equal, most shooters will struggle to shoot the difference in case designs. Reloaders tend to have a bit more say on how easy it is to find accurate loads for particular cartridges, and my experience with the PRC shows it is pretty easy to get to shoot a variety of projectiles. Coupled with good factory ammo (with generally good availability), great brass selection, and the wide variety of 6.5 bullets, I would have to be very, very heavily swayed to choose 6.8 Western over 6.5 PRC.

I've thought the same. I'd be reloading for this and also have a 6.5cm so I'd possibly use some of the same projectiles. Part of it is because I saw a rifle I liked. I'm a lefty and it is chambered in 6.8 western. I would have bought it already if it was chambered in 6.5prc.

 

[MSURunner]

I've thought the same. I'd be reloading for this and also have a 6.5cm so I'd possibly use some of the same projectiles. Part of it is because I saw a rifle I liked. I'm a lefty and it is chambered in 6.8 western. I would have bought it already if it was chambered in 6.5prc.

If you want the internet guy to tell you to do it, go ahead! Life's too short and adding another caliber/cartridge doesn't really increase the expense a lot considering each rifle generally has it's own bullets it likes anyways. If the deal is decent, worst case scenario you buy it, spend a little money on dies and components, shoot it a bit, decide you don't like it and re-sell it. If I was building a custom rifle, though, I wouldn't choose 6.8 Western over 6.5 PRC.

 

[257WHBY13]

Not that I am expert, but I'm not sure the 6.8 Western will be around in 5 years or so. That being said, I own a bunch of rifles that I cannot regularly find ammo for, so I hand load. I have a 6.5 PRC and love it.

 

[Lou270]

My good hunting pal shoots a 6.5 prc and I shoot a 6.8W (as far as the new trendy stuff. Both are very accurate. 6.8W shoots 15-20 gr bullets of similar sd/bc to same velocity so hits a bit harder. 6.8W holds a bit more powder and kicks a little harder than 6.5 prc. 7prc has similar advantage over 6.8W with another increase in recoil/performance. So pick your poison. The 6.8W just hits a sweetspot to me like the 6.5 creedmoor so that is what I built. Lot of performance for still mild recoil. I keep seeing guys saying 6.8w will not be around in couple years but that is silly. Win/Browning pushing it on all the hunting shows and selling all the ammo they can make. Not big with the prs/elr crowd so slow to get premium brass but it will come. Both ADG and Peterson said getting a lot of requests and near top of their next cartridge list when emailed them.

Lou

 

[tmcgarrigle]

My good hunting pal shoots a 6.5 prc and I shoot a 6.8W (as far as the new trendy stuff. Both are very accurate. 6.8W shoots 15-20 gr bullets of similar sd/bc to same velocity so hits a bit harder. 6.8W holds a bit more powder and kicks a little harder than 6.5 prc. 7prc has similar advantage over 6.8W with another increase in recoil/performance. So pick your poison. The 6.8W just hits a sweetspot to me like the 6.5 creedmoor so that is what I built. Lot of performance for still mild recoil. I keep seeing guys saying 6.8w will not be around in couple years but that is silly. Win/Browning pushing it on all the hunting shows and selling all the ammo they can make. Not big with the prs/elr crowd so slow to get premium brass but it will come. Both ADG and Peterson said getting a lot of requests and near top of their next cartridge list when emailed them.

Lou

And I've got a 7rem mag that will get an eventual rebarrel to a 7prc but I have found 6.8W interesting.

 

[choprzrul]

Run a 270 WSM reamer into that 6.8 Western barrel. More case capacity + the faster twist barrel......?